Hearts Don't Break Like This, Do They?
by steph84
Summary: Although her father warned her not to get involved with Shawn Michaels, Jade McMahon couldn't resist the Heartbreak Kid. Now she will have to pay the consequences.
1. Prologue

"You have got to be joking!" Nineteen-year old Jade McMahon, youngest daughter of sports legend Vince McMahon, sat on her bathroom floor, her head in her hands, her body being wracked by vicious sobs. How could she let this happen? After the years of being trained by her father to be one of the damn best wrestlers in the business and she had thrown it all away. Now what was she going to do? Work an office job for the rest of her life? She was too wild for that. Then again, that's what had gotten her into trouble in the first place. When Jade first met twenty-five year old Shawn Michaels, she was intrigued by his fascination. As their friendship grew, it blossomed into an interest that neither one of them could ignore. After countless nights of passion and romance, Jade found herself sitting in her bathroom at the family home, staring at the little stick that told her of her fate. She was pregnant. With the Heartbreak Kid's child. Her father was going to love this. It was rumoured when they first began a friendship that her father was overheard telling Shawn, "I know you're the Heartbreak Kid because you break a lot of woman's hearts. But if you hurt my daughter in any way, it won't be your heart you'll have to worry about me breaking." Jade didn't know whether or not to believe the allegations, so she let things flow smoothly. But her father was organizing more and more harsh and ruthless matches for Shawn to compete in as their friendship continued into a relationship. Jade sensed that her father knew of their love and wanted her out of it. Jade was always the wild one. She did the opposite of what her father wanted, and all the men wanted her. She had long gorgeous brownish- reddish hair that reached her waist and glowing green eyes that made men bow at her feet. She was one hell of a performer when it came to the ring and this made Vince more proud than ever. He had kept a tight leash on his two daughters, only wanting the best for them. Jade knew of the impending doom that would unveil when he heard of her pregnancy. But before anything, she wanted to confirm it. It was early evening on a Thursday in May. The doctor's office would be closed by now but the drugstore wasn't. Jade quickly stood up, brushing her long locks out of her face. She ran for her car keys and swiftly hurried to the store to buy three more pregnancy tests. An hour later, she sat on the floor, once again, three boxes surrounding her. Three sticks, plus the one from before, stood out from her enclosed fist, all of them spouting blue strips down the centre. There was no doubt anymore. She was pregnant. 


	2. It's Time!

"Ow!" A sudden stab caused nineteen-year old Jade McMahon to drop the file she was holding and clutch her abdomen in pain. Triple H, otherwise known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley, stood at her side, grasping her arm. "Jade, are you okay?" Jade gritted her teeth, but managed to emit a small cry of, "I think the baby's coming." Hunter looked around desperately for help. They were alone in the backstage area of Toronto's Air Canada Center. The WWF was holding Monday Night Raw there and Jade and Hunter had just been about to propose a new idea for a storyline to Vince McMahon, Jade's father. Normally, the halls were filled with backstage crew, running around trying to be ready for the next match, but as luck would have it, the halls were empty and silent, except for Hunter's echoing voice, calling for help. "Hunter," Jade managed to gasp. "I think I have some time. You don't have to panic just yet." Her hand began to release the powerful grip she held on his hand as she straightened up. "It was just one contraction; we've got time." "But the baby's not due until February!" "Hunter, it's January 20th; I don't think this baby cares." Around a corner came a running crew worker. "Did I hear someone yelling for help?" she asked, out of breath from the dash. "Miss McMahon is going into labour," Hunter said, gesturing to Jade with his hand. "Can you please call Mr. McMahon and his wife to alert them?" Turning to Jade as the crew worker took off in the direction of the offices, he said, "I'll try to contact Shawn. Sit here and wait; I won't be long." Jade slid her back down the wall, breathing steadily. So he leaves me alone, she thought to herself as she watched her friend run down the hallway. But laughter invaded her throat as she thought of the panicked look on Hunter's face. It was humorous to see a big man like Hunter look so scared. He looked kind of like her father had when Jade told him she was pregnant: scared and nervous. Until she told him who the father was. Then the anger roared. "I thought I told you to stay away from Shawn Michaels!" he hollered, his face getting redder and redder as he spoke. "He's no good! He's going to leave you as soon as you tell him and you're going to be an teen mother, raising a baby all by yourself!" "If he's no good, Dad, then why did you hire him in the first place?" "Your father's just disappointed, honey," Jade's mother, Linda, said, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "He's not really angry; just upset." "Don't tell me what I am," roared Vince. "I'm damn well pissed off. She had no right to do this!" All the while Jade listened, she couldn't keep the smile from her face. She was going to have a baby! A baby that was living inside her at the moment, depending on her for its health and safety. The baby of the man she loved. When she first met Shawn, it was just for the pleasure. He was quite a man and knew how to treat a lady, inside and outside of the bedroom. But as time wore on, she discovered true feelings for him, which she soon realized to be real love. And when she told Shawn of her pregnancy, he couldn't have been happier. "We'll move in together and raise this baby the way we want!" he cried, insinuating that Jade's parents would have no say in it. "I love you, Jade, and I'm going to look after both you and our child." Those words rang in her ears as another contraction began. She glanced at her watch, marking the time as seven minutes from the last one. This baby was coming; there was no doubt. And where was Hunter with Shawn? "Jade! Thank God you're okay! Can you stand?" Vince came running up beside his daughter, with the female crew worker who had fetched him. "I'm fine, Dad," she said, standing with awkwardness. It was nice to see such concern on his face for both his daughter and his grandchild. For the majority of her pregnancy, Vince had been avoiding her by working late and not going to the apartment that she had with Shawn every Saturday with Linda, Steph and Shane. She didn't think he wanted to have anything to do with her again. "How far apart are the contractions, Jade?" Linda came up beside her husband and seized her daughter's hand. "Seven minutes," Jade replied, gritting her teeth as the contraction died down. The pain relented and Shawn arrived, with Hunter close in tow. Between the four of them, they helped Jade to her feet and out to the car, where Vince and Shawn fought over who was going to take her to the hospital. "Damn it, just someone get in the car and drive me there before I do it myself!" Jade growled as another contraction hit, even stronger this time. "Vince, let Shawn take her. We'll follow in our car," she said to her daughter, "and we'll meet you there. Vince, let's go." With a bit of tugging and persuading, Linda managed to drag her husband away from the car door to allow Shawn to get in and start up the Hyundai Accent. "Well, at least we know our baby will be born in a good city," Shawn muttered as he drove through the streets, admiring all the city lights. "The lights in this city are almost mesmerizing." Jade continued to smile at her boyfriend while breathing through another contraction. "Maybe Lamaze classes would have been a good idea," she said, while breathing heavily. "You seem to be doing a good job on your own." "I guess. I just wish the hospital were closer! Doesn't this city have a hospital within ten miles of the ACC?" Jade's temper was flaring as the contractions continued, stronger than ever. She bit down on her lip and resisted the urge to pound Shawn's face in. Once they arrived at the hospital, Jade breathed a sigh of relief. In the ten-minute drive, they had avoided three car accidents, nearly missing four people on bicycles, and barely scraping a pedestrian who tried to cross the road in the middle of an intersection. "He should have crossed with the light," was Shawn's reply. Jade had been wrestling ever since she was a little girl, whether it be with her father, brother or professional wrestlers. But she was certain that she had never felt such an excruciating pain as she did giving birth. She was hardly in the hospital room for half an hour before they decided to move her to delivery. "Your daughter's moving along quickly," she heard the doctor tell Vince and Linda. "Is this her first child?" "Of course its her first child!" Vince screamed. "She's nineteen for crying out loud!" The doctor backed away, nodding. "Okay, I was just checking." She hurried to get suited up and into delivery for she was positive that Jade was going to give birth before the hour was up. With Shawn at her side, yelling in her face to push harder and the doctor at the end of the bed, screaming for her to keep pushing, Jade was ready to start taking people out. With a choke slam here and a Last Ride there, she thought to herself, while bearing down and pushing, I could take them all out in no time! "Come on, babe, don't quit now," Shawn whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek softly. That seemed to be the bit of encouragement that Jade needed. She took a deep breath and began the last push. "Come on, Jade, you're doing great!" Dr. Yolander cried. "Your baby is almost here!" With one final deep breath, Jade pushed and knew instantly that her baby had just come into the world. 


	3. Mackenzie

"A girl?" Doubt filled Vince's voice as he replayed the news from the nurse in his mind. He had a granddaughter? A girl? When he first heard that Jade was pregnant, he decided to make the best of it and at least hope for a boy. A boy to carry on the McMahon name, seeing as neither Shane's wife, Marissa, nor Steph were planning on having kids anytime soon. "Yes, a girl!" replied the nurse excitedly. "Isn't it wonderful?" With that, she rushed back to the delivery room. "Oh, Vince, it's a girl," Linda said, emotion filling her voice. "I'll call the Air Canada Center and inform everyone there." Linda hurried off to find a payphone and Vince continued to sit and stare in wonder. A girl. When all else failed, it had to be a girl. Shawn Michaels sat outside of the nursery, staring at his tiny daughter. Names flew in and out of his head as he searched for the perfect name for the small bundle. Lucy? No, it reminded him of Lucille Ball. Polly? Reminded him of the Polly Pocket dolls and their houses he always saw advertised on television. Tracey? No, his grumpy old aunt's name was Tracey. "Congratulations, Shawn." He turned around to face Linda McMahon. She was smiling widely and he embraced her, whispering in her ear, "I have a daughter!" "I know." She pulled him away and held him at arm's length. "I know and I'm so happy for you!" "Linda, I just want you to know that I'm going to look after Jade and our child. You'll never have to worry when she's with me because I love her and our daughter. I would never let anything happen to them, ever!" Linda smiled at him. "I never doubted it. I called the ACC; the gentleman that answered said that he would alert Howard Finkle and Lilian Garcia and they will announce it to the arena as soon as the next match is over." Shawn nodded. "I'll see if I can put that channel on in the waiting room; no one else is in there." "How's Jade?" "She's fine. She's asleep right now. She fell asleep almost immediately after giving birth. I think it was really hard on her, although it was fast." "Too fast," Linda mused. "She must have been having pains all day long. It only makes sense." "Linda, how's Jade? And did you call the ACC? How's everything going there?" Linda smiled at her husband. "Jade's fine and so is the show. In fact, we were just heading down to the waiting room to put it on the television. Don't you want to see your granddaughter first?" Vince shook his head. "I don't want to see her until I can pick her up." With that, he stalked off to the waiting room. Linda looped her arm through Shawn's and they followed him. Howard and Lilian made a very nice announcement about Jade and the baby, announcing that it was a girl and that she weighed seven pounds, eleven ounces. "Congratulations to both Jade and Shawn!" Lilian crowed and the crowd went insane with cheers. Linda and Shawn were all smiles but Vince's face remained still as stone. Shawn sat beside Jade's hospital bedside later on that night. Visiting hours were over, but he opted to spend the night with her. The two of them sat in silence, the same question on their minds: what were they going to name their little girl? "I've always liked the name Jayme," Shawn said, "until I met my cousin named Jayme. She's evil." Jade smiled to herself. "I want something that is unique, but something that others won't make fun of her for. I don't want her to suffer." Shawn shook his head. "Well then I guess Olga's out." Jade laughed and looked up lovingly at the man that had stood by her side. When she first started to have strong feelings for him, she reminded herself of all the women that he had hurt in the past. Women galore had come flooding out of his locker room, in tears, some of them screaming about suicide. It was a little extreme, Jade had always thought, but she, too, had felt the power of Shawn Michaels. And she realized how devastating it could be to a girl to lose someone as great as Shawn. She didn't want to endure that so she was exceptionally careful to enter into any kind of commitment with Shawn Michaels. Then there was the question of marriage. They had never discussed it fully, but Jade was quite certain that Shawn didn't want to get married just yet. This upset Vince a lot when he heard that his unmarried, pregnant daughter would remain unmarried, but Jade didn't care. It was her life. "I've got it!" Shawn cried, bringing Jade out of her thoughts. "Got what?" "I've got the perfect name for our baby," he said, a giant smile crossing his face. "Mackenzie Rose." Jade's face lit up. "I love it. It flows together nicely." "And if she has my last name, it will be Mackenzie Rose Michaels." Shawn had legally adopted his stage name a few months back, changing his last name from Hickenbottom to Michaels. Jade grew silent for in front of her lay the decision of marriage. Even after Shawn fell asleep, his head on her lap, that question hung in the air all night long, keeping her awake and threatening her with the judgment of commitment. 


	4. Questions

It was only days later that the doctors allowed both Jade and Mackenzie to come home. Shawn was waiting at the hospital door bright and early that Thursday morning, as a hospital attendant wheeled Jade out in a wheelchair, little Mackenzie seated peacefully on her lap in a bundled blanket. Shawn helped her gently into the car as the attendant smiled, wished them good luck and pushed the chair back into the hospital. "I don't know why they do that," Jade said after Shawn had gotten in the car. "Do what?" he asked, absentmindedly as he tried to start the car. It would turn over but choked as soon as it did. "Push me out in a wheelchair. I mean, I had a baby. I can walk. It's not like last year when I broke my ankle, wrestling." Jade continued to stare at the sleeping bundle in her arms. "But all the same, I'm glad we're going home," she said, smiling. "We can finally be a family together." "Yes," Shawn cried as the car roared to life. It wasn't that old, but often had problems. He shifted it into drive and sped off. "Shawn! You have to be careful driving now!" Jade warned. "We have a baby in the car with us; that reminds me. We need a car seat and one of those stickers that says, 'Baby On Board'. I think those things are so adorable!" Shawn continued down the road, heading to the hotel where Vince and Linda were staying. From there, they would wait a few days until Jade regained her strength and then fly back home to Arizona while Vince and Linda drove the car back for them. Jade knew that she was terribly going to miss the world of wrestling. She looked forward to being a stay at home mom but wrestling had been her life ever since she was a little girl. It would be so different now, with Shawn still wrestling and Jade couldn't. At least not for a while. She still had to finish some courses through correspondence. It was the best way to go because then she could still have time at home with the baby. "Well, here we are," Shawn said as he pulled up in front of the hotel doors. Jade assumed the blatant comment was due to lack of words, so she decided against making mention of it and gently climbed out of the car, Shawn at her side, helping her. At the hotel door, Shawn struggled with the luggage and the room key, while Jade made faces at Mackenzie who was just waking up from her nap. Finally, he got the door open and collapsed inside, Jade following him. "Surprise!" whispered the crowd and Jade nearly burst into tears of happiness. In front of her stood some of her closest friends from the company, including Hunter, Kevin Nash and the Undertaker. They all crowded around her to get a glimpse of the newest member of the wrestling family as Shawn continued to bend under the weight of the luggage. "A little help here?" he asked, but no one seemed to hear him. They were too occupied with the baby. Linda came up and started to pick up bags for Shawn. He smiled gratefully as she helped him carry them into the actual bedroom. The room that Vince had rented for them was more like a mini-apartment, with its own kitchen, living/dining room area and bedroom. There was already a bassinette in the bedroom beside the bed and that's when it clicked with Shawn: things would never be the same again. "Things aren't going to be like before," Linda said, as if she was reading Shawn's mind. "You and Jade aren't wild kids anymore. You both have a responsibility to this child. You can't ignore her in the middle of the night if she cries and you're.let's say occupied, for lack of better words. She has to be attended to, fed, changed, and loved." "It's going to be like the puppy I had when I was young," he joked, chewing on a fingernail. Truth be told, Linda had frightened him. Actually, it was more than just Linda. It was the bassinette. That made Shawn realize that things were going to be different. Mackenzie wasn't just an addition to their life; she was a total transformation. Not a bad one, but a transformation, nonetheless. All his life, Shawn had been a player. He loved his women and had broken more hearts than he could count. He didn't like it, but he found he could never stay with one woman for more than a few weeks without wanting a change. But Jade was different. When she came along, he had the same desire to have her, the same as he had with all the other women. But after a few weeks, he didn't want to let go. There was always something new about her. The way she smiled, her words, her looks, her personality; it was all new and fresh each day. He felt he could never tire of her. "Hey, man, is there a party in the bedroom here?" Hunter came in and flopped down on the bed. Linda took a hint and smiled at Shawn. "Think about what I said, please," she said. With that, she headed back out into the living room area. "I guess you're good times are over, man," Hunter said. Shawn sighed. Just what he didn't want to hear. "I think Mackenzie is the best; don't get me wrong," he continued. "Just you won't be able to be a player anymore." "I don't want to be a player anymore, Hunter. I love her." "Whoa! You used the L-word, Shawn. That's some pretty heavy stuff. I mean, if you feel so deeply for this girl, marry her." "I just might, Hunter." Hunter was surprised. He hadn't seen his friend this love struck.well, since ever. He had never been one hundred percent serious about a girl and Hunter could sense that this was more than just the father side of him. He really was in love. Hunter jumped up and put his arm around his friend. "Shawn, my good man, tonight is not the night to dwell on serious thoughts. It's a night of celebration. You have a child with the woman that you love-that's great. Let's celebrate." Shawn smiled. "You're right. Let's go." The two friends walked out to the living room area and Shawn sat down beside Jade, putting his arm around her shoulder. She rested her head on his chest and watched as some of their best friends play with their daughter. 


	5. Troubled Waters

Nearly a week later, Shawn and Jade were on their way back from the doctor's office. Baby Mackenzie had had her check up a few days ago and the doctor deemed her okay to travel. He had also cleared Jade for travel. The two of them were driving back to the hotel, eager to pick up Mackenzie, who was with Linda and Vince, and get going home to San Antonio. "I hope that we can decorate the room quickly, before Mackenzie gets too big. I want the room to be perfect for her. Of course, now we'll have to add some more girly things because.well, she is a girl." Jade rambled on and on, oblivious to the look on Shawn's face. He was deep in thought, thinking about his future. He had done a lot of thinking in the past week. He really, truly loved Jade and wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. He was so dedicated to her and the idea of marriage that he went out and bought an engagement ring. It was a beautiful gold with a .50-carat diamond in the centre. It shined brightly and Shawn looked at it as a symbol of their love. He was just looking for the right time to propose to her. "And I want her to have the best education and actually go to class- unlike me. I never went to class and always got into trouble, but I don't want her to be like that." "Jade?" Shawn interrupted. She looked at him in surprise, as if she had forgotten about him. "What?" Slowly, he pulled the car over to the side of the road. He put one hand on the back of her seat and situated himself so he was facing her. "I have something to ask you." She was all ears. Her attention was undivided as her sixth sense warned her about what he was going to say. "No," he suddenly said. "Not like this. I want to do this right." He got out of the car, cars whizzing by. He came around to her side of the car and opened the door, kneeling down on one knee in front of her. She looked at him curiously, but love in her eyes. He took her hand gently. "Jade, I've know this is an old saying, but I've never felt this way about a woman before. You make my day light, and you make life worth living. I've given up all the drugs and alcohol because of you. You've made me a better person and I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?" Floods of tears escaped the gates of Jade's eyes as she nodded her head, a smile crossing her face. She stood up to face Shawn and they hugged, cars passing by, pointing at the couple. But they didn't care. They were in love and were getting married. Back at the hotel, Jade excitedly told her parents what was going on. From the look on Vince's face, Jade could tell that Shawn had already cleared it with him. "Congratulations, honey," Linda said, kissing both of them on the cheek. Jade felt so elated, she thought she would never come down. So why did the nagging feeling in her stomach keep coming back? Two weeks later, Shawn stood in front of what seemed like a million people. He and Jade had decided that they didn't want a big fancy wedding; just something simple in front of their friends and family. They were outdoors, a big wedding set up in the McMahons' back yard. The day turned out to be beautiful and Shawn was glad. Jade had turned out to be pretty unpredictable in the past few weeks, under all the stress. She would cry at the slightest drop of a hat. But Shawn understood her situation and tried to bear with it as best as he could. Here Comes the Bride began to play from the rented organ and Shawn focused his attention on his soon-to-be wife, walking down the makeshift aisle. Jade was wearing a white satin gown, which her friends teased her about. "Yeah, she should really be wearing white!" they joked. But as Shawn looked at Jade, he never felt a stronger love for her. She looked so gorgeous and radiant; he knew that they were going to be very happy together and nothing could stop that. She joined him at the altar and smiled, her beautiful face lighting up. Shawn smiled back, then looking ahead to face his future. The minister had barely said two words when a voice behind them cried, "This wedding can't happen like this!" Every pair of eyes there turned around to face Jenny Thompson, a long time friend of both Shawn and Jade. She wasn't beautiful; but she was pretty. She had long blond hair and hazel eyes. She could be a nice person, but in general was nasty. She was extremely negative and a pessimistic in every way. Confusion filled Jade's eyes. "Jenny?" she asked. "What are you talking about?" "I'm pregnant, Jade." Jenny's eyes were determined and cold. They were a steely green, which sent shivers up and down Jade's spine. "And this affects us how?" Shawn asked, feeling the butterflies in his stomach rise. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that something bad was on its way. "With your child." The simple statement brought frenzy among the wedding guests. Linda and Vince sat in horror, staring at Shawn. Shawn repeatedly shook his head. "No. It's not true!" He rushed towards Jenny. "Tell them it's not true!" "But it is true, Shawn." She turned away from him to face the crowd. "You see, I've been a friend of Jade and Shawn for years. Shawn's always been attracted to me and a few weeks ago, he finally acted on his instincts. And now I'm pregnant with his kid." "If you guys are such good friends, then why weren't you invited to the wedding?" Linda asked, with a calm head as always. This stumped Jenny, but only for a moment before she recovered. "I'm sure Shawn was afraid that if he saw me again, he would want me again, so he decided against it." Jade felt as if her heart had fallen into her stomach. She continued to stare at the man that she loved-or thought she had loved-and thought about how betrayed she felt. Shawn, the man who had stood by her side through thick and thin, had a secret from her. One that he couldn't even confess up to. It wasn't a sin; yet it hurt Jade all the same. Shawn looked at her, his eyes pleading for understanding. But she turned away. She couldn't face him. Not now. 


	6. Imperfections

Vince stood up. "Jade, I think you need to come with your mother and I. We have plenty to discuss." Before Jade could protest further, her father grabbed her by the arm and led her away. They walked right past Jenny, ignoring the smug look on her face. Past the reception tent and past the live band that was setting up. Confusion filled their faces, but Vince kept on going. He could hear Linda behind him apologizing to the crowd, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to get his daughter out of there. Once they reached their car, Vince turned to his daughter and held her by the shoulders. Bending his face down so he could look into her eyes, he said very calmly, "Is any of this true?" "Daddy, I don't know!" Jade's tears started to fall from her filled- up eyes. "I knew that Jenny had a crush on Shawn but I never knew it would go this far." "Did he sleep with her?" "I don't know!" Linda came up beside her daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder to calm her hysterics down. "Shawn says he didn't sleep with her." Vince smiled. "See? Maybe this is all just a misunderstanding." "But why would Jenny lie? I mean, she's been my friend throughout all this. Why now?" Linda shrugged. "I don't know, sweetie. Let's sleep on it tonight. Come home with us." "No, Mom. I've got to face my problems. I can't just run away from them. Besides, I need to get some stuff from the apartment tonight." "Okay, but I still think you and Shawn should spend some time apart for awhile. Your father and I will be waiting for you at the hotel and we'll leave as soon as you're ready." Jade nodded and smiled through her tears as her mother kissed her on the cheek. She would talk to Shawn. Tonight. Later on that night, Jade walked into the only apartment she had ever shared with Shawn. She didn't expect to see him there. She jumped in surprise. The lights were off. Shawn was illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the balcony. He was sitting on the couch, his tuxedo still on, unbuttoned at the front. He was drinking a bottle of alcohol-she wasn't sure what kind-and he looked a pathetic sight. Almost immediately, Jade felt her heart begin to ache. He looked so sad, but her eyes remained steely when she recalled the earlier scene at the wedding. Holding her head high, she strutted through the living room, past him, and into the bedroom. She could see his eyes following her, but she didn't bat an eye. In the bedroom, she began to pack some clothes in her travel bag that she always carried with her to shows on the road. She heard Shawn come in behind her, but she didn't turn around. "I'm leaving, Shawn," she said, not being able to look at him. "Not that you'll care, but I just thought I'd let you know anyway." Zipping up her bag, she left the room, not even glancing at him. She quickly went into Mackenzie's room, packing some of her things, too. She was grateful to her friend, Mandy, for offering to look after Mackenzie until Jade got her stuff from the apartment. Into the diaper bag, she threw some clothes and diapers, plus some toys and stuffed animals that Mackenzie had taken to. Shawn followed her into the baby's room, but she continued to ignore him, for fear that if she looked at him, she was get lost in his eyes and fall in love all over again. "Jade, we need to talk," he began, carefully speaking the words he had been planning to say all afternoon. "No, we don't, Shawn. You are the father of Jenny's baby. End of story. Now I'm taking my baby and we're going to live with my parents." With that, she grabbed her luggage and flew out the door and out of Shawn's life. Weeks passed. Jade was miserable at her parents' house. Steph and Shane both visited her as often as they could, but with no luck. Steph tried to convince Jade to go back to Shawn as much as Hunter tried to convince Shawn to do something to win Jade back. "Like what, Hunter?" Shawn asked in frustration. "She won't take my calls and her father is totally devoted to the idea of me being a jerk. Linda is the only one who will actually speak to me and Jade won't even listen to her mother. So what am I supposed to do?" "What is the one way you two are equal?" "What are you talking about?" Hunter sighed impatiently. "The one way that you two can communicate without being face to face?" "I don't know; the phone?" "Shawn! Wrestling! You two both wrestle and Vince has to let you on sometime. As soon as he does, change the storyline and say what you're heart really feels to Jade. She's bound to be listening." "And if she's not?" "Don't worry; she will be." 


	7. Happiness

Jade's return to wrestling five months after giving birth to Mackenzie was huge in the wrestling industry. She wasn't cleared to wrestle just yet, but wanted to get back into the scene as soon as possible to avoid thinking any more about Shawn and Jenny's baby. She hadn't seen Shawn since the wedding day and the minute she left their apartment, but the image of him, pathetic and upset, never left her mind. Only two hours before the show began, Jade found Jenny backstage, looking truly pregnant. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your return and wish you good luck tonight," Jenny said with a sweet smile. Jade nodded, unable to say anything to the girl she had deemed one of her closest friends only months ago. "Thanks, Jenny. I have to go now. I have to talk to some people before the show starts." Jade started to head out of the room. "Okay, Jade. Is it alright if I stay here for a while? My back is killing me." Jade nodded absentmindedly. Jenny was the furthest thing from her mind that night. At the other side of the arena, Shawn sat with Hunter. "Just be yourself, man, and she can't really stay mad," Hunter coached. "Ha! You don't really know Jade, do you?" Shawn asked, a small smile playing his lips. "Something tells me if I screw this up, she will stay mad at me until the cows come home. She won't let anything sway her opinion unless it's honest and true." Hunter nodded. He knew that; Steph was the same way. Moments before Shawn's music hit the stage, Jade was on her way back into her dressing room. Before she could even open the door all the way, she heard a voice. It was Jenny's. "But Josh, you're the father of my baby! You have to pay me child support! Well, yes, I did talk to a lawyer, and he said you have to face up to your parental rights." Wait a moment. Josh? Father of Jenny's baby? What was going on here? Jade burst into the room with such force that she felt she was going to rip the door off it's hinges. "Jenny? What the hell is going on here?" Jenny sat, her mouth agape in surprise. She recoiled in horror and dropped the phone. Speechless, she made a dash for the door but years of wrestling training allowed Jade to beat her there. She practically spit in her face, "What the hell is going on?" "Alright, it was bull!" Jenny cried. "Shawn is not the father, nor did I sleep with him. I said that because I've hated you from day one. You've always had it easy, Jade! The boys crawl over each other to get to you, your family is rich, you're famous and you're pretty! I'm none of those things. For once, I wanted to see you get the heartbreak instead of me." Jade stood by the doorway, unable to speak. Anger flashed before her eyes as she heard Shawn being introduced on the television that hung in the corner of the room. Her eyes drifted upwards and Jenny escaped out of the room, taking all of her lies and deceit with her. But Jade didn't care. She focused on the T.V., eager to hear what Shawn was going to say. "I'm not out here tonight to wrestle," he began. "I'm out here to tell someone whom I care about very much what the true story is. "Jade, I know tonight is your return to the WWF and I don't want anything to ruin this because its your night. But I feel you must know this." He took a deep breath. "I did not sleep with Jenny. Her baby is not mine. I don't know whose it is, but it sure as hell doesn't belong to me. I've got my baby- our baby-and I don't need anything else right now. Jade, I love you. Even if you don't forgive me, I love you still. And I know, I pray, deep down inside, you love me, too." He turned around to face the stage and there she stood, as beautiful as the day he first met her. The lights behind her lit her up, like an angel as she ran down the ramp and into Shawn's waiting arms. "I love you, too," she whispered to him. "I'm so sorry." The crowds were going wild with cheers. If only they knew that this wasn't part of the storyline, Jade thought to herself, holding Shawn closer to her. If only they knew that life wasn't a game, a story for people to play parts in. But that didn't matter now. Jade had her family back and she couldn't be happier. 


End file.
